Football Kick Types

Welcome to an overview of basic kick types in football. Here you will find everything you need to know about the different types of kicks you might see during a game, including when they occur and which players are responsible for completing each kick.

Here is a complete list of kick types in football:

• Kickoffs
• Onside Kicks
• Field Goals
• Extra Points (PATs)
• Punts
• Safety Kicks
• Free Kicks

Kickoffs

Kickoffs are executed by the team’s placekicker, who kicks the ball downfield off a tee. The kicker is surrounded by ten teammates responsible for quickly running down the field and tackling the ball carrier once the ball has been kicked away to the opposing team.

Two different situations warrant a kickoff. First, each half begins with a kickoff. A pre-game coin toss decides which team will receive the ball first. The ball is then kicked away to the team set to begin the game on offense. Kickoffs are also performed following a scoring play. Once one team scores a field goal or a touchdown, they must concede possession to the opposing team via a kickoff.

Onside Kicks

When a team that has just scored is still desperate for points with little time left in the game, they will often attempt a special type of kickoff called an onside kick. Rather than kick the ball for distance, the kicker will try to kick it about 10 yards down the field to give members of the kicking team a chance to run to the ball and recover it before the receiving team can. Although it is unlikely, a recovery by the kicking team results in that team gaining possession of the ball. If the ball is touched before it goes 10 yards, the kicking team is assessed a penalty and the receiving team automatically assumes possession of the ball.

Field Goals

The placekicker is also responsible for all field goal and extra point attempts (PATs). If the offense cannot score a touchdown and is faced with a fourth down, they will often opt for a field goal if they are reasonably close to the other team’s goalposts. At this point in the game, the kicker is sent onto the field to try and kick the ball through the posts (the ball is held in place by the team’s designated holder). A made field goal results in three points being added to the team’s score, while a missed kick results in zero points and the other team takes possession of the ball wherever the kick was attempted from.

Extra Points (PATs)

When the offense scores a touchdown, the kicker is tasked with completing the extra point, or point-after attempt (often abbreviated as PAT). PATs are attempted 33 yards away from the goalposts and made kicks are worth an additional one point. The team that has just scored will kickoff to the opposing team regardless of whether the extra point was successfully converted.

Punts

Each team’s punter is responsible for punts and free kicks, both of which include the punter drop-kicking the ball to the other team. Much like field goals, punts occur when the offense still needs several yards to achieve a first down and keep the ball. There are many occasions when the team is not close enough to the opposing team’s end zone to attempt a field goal. Rather than run an offensive play and risk losing possession of the ball at the line of scrimmage, coaches will usually opt to punt the ball. Good punters are able to drop kick the ball a long distance, forcing the opposing team to begin its offensive drive backed up in its own territory.

Safety Kicks

A special type of kick happens when the defensive team achieves a safety by tackling the opposing quarterback in his own end zone. Not only is the team awarded two points for their efforts, but they also receive possession of the ball by way of a safety kick. While the alignment of the kicking team is similar to a kickoff, safety kicks require the kicker to drop kick, place kick, or punt the ball downfield to the opposing team without using a tee. Unlike normal kickoffs, safety kicks are taken from the 20-yard line.

Free Kicks

Free kicks are a type of kick that can take place after a fair catch on a kickoff or punt. Following a fair catch, teams are entitled to a free kick from the spot of the catch, even if time has expired. There are a few unique rules to free kicks, also known as fair catch kicks. First, unlike a field goal or PAT, there is no snap. The kicker must perform a drop kick or use a holder to place kick, as no tee is allowed. The defense must also wait at least 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked. If a team successfully puts the free kick attempt through the goal posts, they are awarded three points.

Fair catch kicks are only legal in the NFL and high school football, as college football removed the rule in 1950. This is a rule that many football fans aren’t aware of since free kicks almost never happen. Due to the fact that they take place after a kickoff or punt, most free kicks end up taking place from 60+ yards out, making them extremely difficult to make. Free kicks in American football are so rare that only five have been attempted in the NFL over the last 36 years.

FAQ

Which team performs the opening kickoff in football is determined by the coin toss. Before the game begins, captains from each team meet with the referee on the field to perform the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss gets to choose whether to kick the ball off in the first or second half.

How far does an onside kick need to go?

An onside kick needs to travel at least ten yards before the kicking team may touch the ball, unless the receiving team touches the ball first. If the kicking team touches the ball before it travels ten yards, the play will be blown dead, and the receiving team will be given possession of the ball.